


Hiraeth

by asterheart



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst and Feels, Another Chanlix au since I can't seem to control myself, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, I adore this ship, I'm sorry for the first chapter it was necessary, M/M, Minor Character Death, Will there be smut idk if I'm brave enough
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:47:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26947702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asterheart/pseuds/asterheart
Summary: Felix, in order to become the head physician of the palace, is being assigned to nurse the Crown Prince back to health after the most brutal war the land has seen in decades.The physician doesn't know the first thing about treating an extremely stubborn, needlessly hostile Prince, but he does know one thing they have in common - loss.If only Chan knew how much.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix
Comments: 25
Kudos: 94





	1. The War

**Author's Note:**

> Heyyy so I'm back again with another Chanlix for y'all and this time it is a royalty au. After reading tons of these, I finally decided to dip my toes into this genre and see if I can make something out of it. Fingers crossed, I am so excited to go on another journey with you guys.
> 
> If y'all want to yell at me on twitter it's @aggieyos and I have a Seungjin fic on my main account here @monlune if you wanna check that out. Thank you so much!

"I don't want to be a princess."

Hyunjin's head tilts in confusion as he stares at Felix, the other with his cheeks puffed out in frustration. The young boy's lips are trembling with indignance that doesn't seem to be registering as well as he'd hoped to the other. "Why not?"

Felix stomps one foot in the large barnyard, hopes the sound is loud enough to startle some of the horses or the pigs at the very least as he tries to get his point across. He won't cry, mother told him to use his words when he wants to say something.

Felix wipes his cheek with the back of his hand, "I am not a girl."

"I know. Why are you crying?"

"I'm not."

"You are. You just wiped your face with your hand and now it's all muddy." Hyunjin struggles not to laugh as Felix glares at him. "Why are you upset? You're the one that said you wanted to play house."

The eleven-year old gapes as Hyunjin fiddles with the end of his sash nonchalantly. "Why would _I_ be the princess?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"You have longer hair than me, you should be the girl."

"I'm already the prince, why would I have to be anything else?" Hyunjin asks, smug like he's just won the argument. Felix opens his mouth to argue, only to realize that the other is right. He begrudgingly sits on a haystack not far from where they're standing, in the middle of the outhouse where Hyunjin had snuck off to escape his 'extremely boring' history lecture.

"I don't want to be the princess." Felix insists, a lot less indignant this time and resembling a whine. He already gets enough teasing from the other boys outside of the castle for being so lanky and girly looking, he doesn't need Hyunjin suddenly getting the same idea.

Hyunjin chuckles at the other's expression, dusts himself off from where he's sitting on the floor and comes closer to Felix. Hyunjin settles beside him, nudges a knee against Felix's thigh as he speaks, "Are you alright?"

Felix doesn't know why he even suggested playing the blasted game in the first place. He thinks it's because he saw Jeongyeon playing the same with her friends and they all seemed to enjoy it, laughing as the boys offered them flowers to put in their hair. He thought it would be fun to do the same with Hyunjin, since the other already gives him so many things he doesn't need.

"Why did you want to play house, anyways?" Hyunjin asks, carelessly laying against the haystack. Felix thinks he's going to get scolded by the seamstress for that, too.

"I didn't know one of us had to be a girl to play that game." Felix adds defensively, lips pursed. "It seemed fun when Jeongyeon and her friends were playing it. They were all laughing and being loud so I thought-"

Felix doesn't think his argument is getting him anywhere, judging by the widening smirk on Hyunjin's lips. He sighs, "Never mind."

Hyunjin laughs, but it doesn't sound mocking. "That's because they were kissing each other for the wedding part, silly."

Felix gasps, "What are you talking about? That is not part of the game." He insists, though his resolve slightly falters at the sight of the prince's knowing grin. "You're lying. Jeongyeon would never do that, mother would never let her out of the house then."

Hyunjin hums as he fiddles with the end of his sash, a habit his mother hopes he eventually grows out of. "Of course Jeongyeon won't, she's the priest." Hyunjin mentions, "Sohee told me Jeongyeon thinks all the boys in the kingdom are ugly."

"When did you even speak to Sohee?" Felix asks, surprised. He doesn't remember Hyunjin ever speaking to Sohee, or any of the other kids in the palace. Whenever the prince has any time to escape his grueling lessons, everybody knows Hyunjin always finds himself revolving around the other boy.

"She mentioned it to me in the garden once when I was done with my archery lessons." Hyunjin reveals, walking over to dust off his wooden sword. "I think she wanted me to play house with her."

"Well, what did you say?" Felix asks hesitantly, feels an odd sensation in his stomach at the thought. Does Hyunjin play with Sohee and the other kids without him knowing?

"I told her I already have a princess." Hyunjin tells him, grin full of mirth and mischief. Felix's protest is muffled by his laughter as he chases Hyunjin around, picking up his wooden sword to give the prince a piece of his mind. The wood feels heavy in his arms, crooked from years of practice, but the weight feels as familiar as the breeze whipping past his smiling face.

The two continue to battle, Felix holding his own after picking up a few tricks with how often he plays with the prince. He knows the other's strategy so well now, the routine almost a dance between the two of them. Hyunjin is less familiar with his style, with how often it changes and how many times the other had to improvise when Hyunjin feels a little less honorable and tries to cheat his way into winning. Felix tells him how unbecoming that is of a prince, and Hyunjin tells him his manners class wouldn't do him any good in a real fight.

Felix swings an arm out to land a hit on Hyunjin's leg when the other catches his wrist, pulls him closer to send them in a rolling heap on the floor. Felix's grunts are mixed in with Hyunjin's howling laughter as the prince pins him underneath with the blunt edge of the sword close to Felix's throat. "I win."

Felix rolls his eyes, "Of course you should, _your Highness_. You're the prince after all." Hyunjin's lips purse at how mocking his title sounds coming from Felix's lips, "Get off me, you're heavy."

Hyunjin reluctantly obliges, not before tickling Felix's side which earned him a knee to the stomach. The two boys huff, exhausted from running around but bones never getting quite tired or weary. They settle underneath the grass as the prince speaks, eyes never leaving the pink-tinted sky, "If you wanted me to put flowers in your hair, you could have just said so, Lix. We don't need to play house for that."

Felix kicks him aimlessly and Hyunjin dodges with a laugh. The prince finds it even more amusing when Felix tries to lift his arm to swing at him, only for the action to fall flat from tiredness. Hyunjin speaks again, "We don't need to play house for you to be my family."

Felix gulps, annoyed at how much the prince knows him like the back of his hand and how wise the other is beyond his years. He stays silent and Hyunjin tilts his head to look at Felix. His hair is a mess and Felix can't ever understand why he refuses to cut it, doesn't understand why it suits him so well.

"You already are my family." Hyunjin whispers, like it's a secret only the two of them know.

"Or at least you will be." The prince adds, like there is no room for further discussion and Felix doesn't ask him what he means. They simply laid back, content with each other's company. Felix wishes he could spend his days like this all the time.

***************************************************

Minho sighs as Felix almost drops another glass bottle for the third time, the younger turning to him with a sheepish and guilty smile. Felix has been fidgety all morning, absentmindedly refilling bottles with the wrong capsules and nervously jittering his leg during lunch. He has a sneaking suspicion as to why the other's head is screwed on backwards but Minho knows it isn't his place to acknowledge, much less say out loud.

The head physician rolls his eyes in resignation, "Take off for the day, Felix. You're messing up enough as it is."

Felix opens his mouth to argue when the other waves a careless hand to shut his sentiments down. "This is not up for discussion. You're going home, or wherever it is you young people go off to these days."

"You're not that much older than me." Felix quips, and Minho only gives him an amused smirk. "I'm old enough to order you around."

"Go. Come back tomorrow when you're less distracted." Minho adds, eyes focused on the weighing scale as he slowly taps the the powder flat on the tin. "Tell him to travel safe for me, will you?"

Felix's chest squeezes at his words, but the apprentice simply nods. "I will, thank you."

He reaches the outhouse later than Hyunjin, as always. The prince looks immaculate in his gear, but Felix wishes the white and blue didn't look so dangerous as it always does whenever Hyunjin wears it. The ribbons on the right side of his chest shouldn't have brought so much weight on the prince's shoulders but they did, much to Felix's dismay.

The prince raises an eyebrow upon seeing Felix, "I don't suppose you expect to send me off with a pout as deep as that one, do you?"

"Stop kidding around." Felix chastises, and Hyunjin only laughs at his darkening expression. The prince pulls him closer, one uniformed arm wrapping around his waist, so familiar as if it was allowed. The taller looks down at him, thumbs at Felix's bottom lip and enamored at how it protrudes so adorably.

"Would you prefer I throw a fit instead?" Hyunjin asks, fingers tilting Felix's chin up to look him in the eyes. "I think you're doing enough of that for the both of us."

The physician hits the other's chest, the impact significantly lighter from years of leaving behind his wooden sword to pick up a stethoscope instead. "You're already leaving and yet you're making fun of me, still."

"It's one of my best skills, I must admit." Hyunjin continues, hopelessly endeared by the other's annoyed huff. "Not as significant as my swordsmanship, but definitely up there, truly."

Felix struggles to leave the other's hold when Hyunjin pulls them down to sit. The physician still blushes whenever Hyunjin would pull him on his lap, but it doesn't stop the other from doing so at any given opportunity.

_Don't go,_ the words keep themselves lodged in Felix's throat. He knows Hyunjin is a prince of this kingdom, has a duty he has to fulfill as the head of the King's army. Felix has been through this many times, having to say goodbye instead of 'see you again', since Hyunjin morbidly insists that it would be better to say it than to never get a chance to if God forbid anything happens, but it doesn't get any easier than the last time.

"Father expects me to get married by the end of Autumn." Hyunjin mentions simply, as if Felix isn't holding his breath at his words. "I never told him but he knows. Changbin, for the life of him, can't keep his mouth shut for more than twenty seconds anyway."

"If I return," Hyunjin breathes heavily, and Felix hates this part the most. The prince presses their foreheads together, " _When_ I return," He corrects, and Felix bites his lip to keep himself from smiling, or crying out. He can't really pinpoint which. "I'm going to make you family."

"I swear it, Lix. But for now," The prince looks down at Felix's locket, cradles the gold between his fingers like it's a lifeline. "Now, you are simply mine."

Felix can't stop the tears as they flow, doesn't wipe them away in hopes that his tears would make the other more determined than ever to keep his promises.

He takes Hyunjin's face in his palms and Felix whispers, _prays_ , "Come back to me, please."

Hyunjin smiles, so beautiful and sure of himself Felix doesn't have to bother to think about how he fell in love. The prince presses a featherlight kiss against his lips.

"You know I always will."

****************************************************

Weeks pass and the gates open in the beginning of Autumn, just when the first few leaves have turned auburn and begun to fall. Minho doesn't bother to call after him when Felix runs outside of the clinic, rushing past the throng of people with his fingers tightly clutching his necklace.

His eyes wander around frantically, searching for any sign of the white and blue he has come to yearn for the most. Felix catches sight of the Crown Prince Chan, standing beside his midnight black horse and holding onto the rope of a familiar white steed at his left. The atmosphere felt thick, heavy, like gas and smoke when he sees the red and black on Hyunjin's horse.

The makeshift coffin arrives last, chopped wood barely sanded and unevenly cut. Felix doesn't remember what happened after.

The kingdom mourns the loss of its prince, a week-long funeral dedicated to his memory. Felix pays his respects along with Minho by his side, hands trembling as he hands the violets to Hyunjin's mother. The Queen pulls him into his arms like she knows, and Felix struggles even harder not to break down.

The Queen holds him for a long time, and the tears fall before he could catch himself. She whispers an apology to Felix like she didn't just lose a son, and he felt as if his grief mattered for the very first time. Felix catches the eyes of the Crown Prince from across the room, where the other stands with a crutch tucked under his right arm.

He sees the question in the other's eyes as their gazes meet, and Felix quickly looks away before the other could scrutinize him even longer. The Queen insisted that he stay by her side for the burial.

Felix doesn't see the Crown Prince shed a tear during the burial, nor did he see the other cry when Hyunjin's lifeless body was hauled by his men past the sea of onlookers. Chan leaves before they could lower Hyunjin's body to the ground, and Felix is too caught up with trying to comfort Hyunjin's mother that he isn't given any time to give more thought to it.

Felix finds himself standing outside of the barn once the service was done, feet never moving past the dusty doorway. His chest aches at the sight, and how quiet everything seems to be ever since the guards had moved the animals to a larger outhouse many years ago. He's never heard this kind of silence here before.

Felix falls to his knees as he holds onto to the doorframe, his skin rubbing against the chipped paint. He cries, cries harder than he ever has.

The palace and its people mourned the loss of its prince, the kingdom the loss of their army general. Felix mourns, more than anyone else, the love of his life.

Hyunjin did come back to him, Felix thinks. He always did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I was thinking for this one maybe I can start with 4 chapters as a goal and see where it leads me. What do you guys think about the first chapter? As always, kudos and comments are very much appreciated. Thank you! <3


	2. The Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The four walls of the kingdom are now unfamiliar to Felix, and he doesn't remember Chan ever being part of it at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So, just to be clear this is a FICTIONAL kingdom. Hence, there may be some inaccuracies with the midieval times and it's VERY different from the typical Korean Joseon era royal family. This is just loosely based on some common themes with historical fiction so I hope you guys go easy on me on the factuality of everything. Thanks so much!
> 
> Yell at me here:
> 
> Main AO3 acct: @monlune  
> Twt: @aggieyos

The castle, Felix thinks, can be such a beautiful thing in the morning. He has many fond memories of running around the castle grounds on scorching summer days, the grass lush and warm between his toes. Tonight however, as he dares to take a peek from behind the glass of his carriage, it seems a world different. He wonders if the palace glowed only when Hyunjin was around.

"Something the matter, doctor?" Felix snaps out of his reverie as he looks at Seungmin, sitting on the other side of the carriage. The rain pouring over the roof has made it difficult for any kind of small talk, but he appreciates the other's silence more if he was being honest with himself.

The duke spares him a curious glance and Felix clears his throat, "Please call me Felix, your Grace." Felix turns to face the other better, running his hands down his trousers. "It has been a while since I last visited the castle, apologies if I had made you uncomfortable."

Seungmin waves a careless hand in front of him, "No, not at all and please, call me Seungmin. I have a feeling we would be spending a lot of time together in the future, best to have the formalities out of the way."

He momentarily thinks that the other's smile is strikingly similar to his cousin's and Felix aches. "I understand that this may not be the best of circumstances, but we are happy to have you, nonetheless."

Felix gives him what he hopes is a passable smile, "The pleasure is all mine, your Grace."

His heart ironically beats faster as the carriage slows, the familiar sight of sandstone covering his entire view. Seungmin gestures for Felix to come out, one gloved hand outstretched to assist him. Felix takes it after a beat of hesitation, as the duke looks up at him with a raised eyebrow. The guards bow to Seungmin as they pass, and Felix wonders if any of the older knights would recognize him without the prince in tow.

He tries his best to keep his head high, despite the mud of his shoes no doubt dirtying the marble floors. Felix thinks he sees one of the maids give him the stink-eye as his feet leave a trail of splotches in his wake, but he figures he has more pressing things to think about than having the household staff of the kingdom despising him for how much dirt was on his soles.

"Come. The Queen has asked for dinner to be served only when you arrive." Seungmin comments, as if this is a natural occurrence. Felix sputters as he tries to keep up with the other, and he doesn't know if he is to be delighted or worried as they stop in front of two large, oak doors in the middle of the hall.

"This is to be your quarters for your stay." Hearing it out loud makes it seem more real now to Felix. The duke knocks twice and Felix sees a young boy inside, a wide feline smile on his face as he bows to the two.

"Jeongin would be able to help you with anything you need. Do let me know if you would prefer a woman to assist you, but Jeongin is the son of the castle's gardener. He was just here to haul some of the items you brought with you to your room."

"He would provide you with anything you might need for," Seungmin pauses, as if trying to find the term to call the castle's current predicament, "the treatments."

Felix nods in understanding, "You do not need to make such accommodations for me, your Grace. I can gather the items myself." The physician sees the wide smile on the other boy falter just slightly, and he retracts before he could stop himself. "But, I will let Jeongin know if I would be needing any help."

"Thank you, doctor." Jeongin pipes up, bowing deep enough for Felix to blush in embarrassment. "I would be most obliged to help you with any task you would give me."

Felix sneaks a glance at the fond smile the duke is giving the younger, and he can't help but feel the same. "I'll keep that in mind, Jeongin."

The physician turns to Seungmin, "Thank you for helping me settle in, your Grace. You did not have to exert such effort." Jeongin slips between them to give the two some privacy, not without bowing incessantly as he departs.

"I'm afraid you would need all the help you can get, doctor." Felix's eyes widen alarmingly at the duke's sentiment, half-tempted to look around to see if anyone had caught onto what the duke has dared to imply.

"Rest your worries, please. The Crown Prince has everyone's head on the way to his platter, so I do not mind much of what I say nowadays."

Felix bites his lip at the sentiment, thinks of how adamant Minho was about not letting him step foot into the palace to nurse the Crown Prince after much forbidden word about his less than welcoming approach to his healing had gotten around. "I did not mean to scare you." Seungmin chuckles, and Felix has to admit that he looks younger this way.

"I cannot imagine what you would say if you _did_ intend to scare me away, then." Felix mutters before he could stop himself, and Seungmin brightens even more.

"You seem different. I can see why no less than the Queen had called for your services."

"I look forward to seeing you at dinner, doctor." The duke walks away before he could remind the other to call him by his name, and Felix slumps against the door with a sigh.

Felix moves mindlessly through the motions as the servants lead him to the castle's banquet hall, the women keeping a respectable distance and bowing to him as if he was anything special. The physician feels out of place being in the middle of such a grand room, and he berates himself for fidgeting under his best clothes.

He bows deeply by the entrance, a chair opposite the duke and beside Donggyu, the kingdom's advisor, pulled out for him to settle onto. The duke spares him a gentle smile as they lock eyes, and Felix feels oddly comforted by the other's presence.

Felix discreetly scans the room as plates upon plates are served to the castle's guests. Dinner was a quiet affair, only the clink of metal and porcelain being the resounding noise around the large room. The physician is more than thankful that no one had tried to draw attention to his presence or to question it, apart from the customary small talk with some of the other occupants of the table.

The guests bow as dinner concludes, and Felix whispers a little prayer of gratitude for surviving the night when Eunji, a young woman he recognizes to be one of the castle maids assigned to him, calls his name. "Doctor, I do not mean to stop you from retiring to your quarters but," Eunji bites her lip in hesitance, "the Queen has asked to see you in the Tea Room."

Felix wonders if it is an innate character of the Queen to look so regal, to be so captivating and stern that even the mightiest of soldiers fall to her feet. Her gentle smile greatly contradicts the whispers about her ruthlessness to enemies, "Doctor Lee, my apologies for not welcoming you personally."

The other mutters a quick acknowledgment of the Queen's sentiments, some halfhearted remark about being 'honored' and 'thankful' to be chosen to work for the palace. The Queen smiles a bit differently this time as she gestures for Felix to sit, "I'm glad to hear it. Please join me for some tea, I crave it after every meal."

Tea is poured for the two of them and the Queen keeps her gaze locked onto Felix, even as she takes her first sip of the chamomile. "How do you like the palace, doctor? I trust my nephew had arranged well for your arrival."

"The Duke has been most gracious, your Highness. And please, call me Felix."

"How is your sister doing, Felix? I'm afraid being a merchant at this time would be challenging with the weather."

Felix is surprised to hear of the Queen's knowledge about his sister, but he tries not to let it show. "She's doing well given the circumstances. My sister is," Felix's smile turns a little fond, "a force of nature in her own way. The weather is no match for her."

The Queen laughs and the way the sides of her eyes crinkle reminds Felix so much of Hyunjin. He thinks this must be why Minho had pleaded for him not to go. "I remember her being the same. Your mother had insisted the pain on her lower back was named after her daughter when she was still working here."

"Many things have changed since she had retired. I'm sure she is glad that you had followed the same path." The Queen pours more tea for the both of them before Felix could even protest, a gasp slipping past his lips as the woman tuts.

"There is no need for such formality, not when I have asked so much of you."

"It is an honor for me to be considered to treat the Crown Prince, your Highness. It is no favor to me." Felix insists, half tempted to stop the Queen's hand from dropping cubes of sugar into his drink.

The Queen's hand falters, "I do not wish for you to insult my intelligence, Felix." She laughs lightly in amusement, "I know when I have asked for too much, and one of the downfalls of being what I am is not knowing when to stop."

"Your Highness, I-"

"Do not apologize to me. This palace, the army," The Queen reaches out and Felix is beside himself as the woman cradles his palm with her hands, "The _kingdom_ should apologize to you."

Felix sees the glassiness in the Queen's eyes as she clutches onto him, her words are fiery with indignance and the pain of a grieving mother. She turns away from him to look out of the window, dusting off her clothes as if to compose herself.

"The West have taken one of my sons, dear boy." Her voice turns rougher, like the edge of a sword as she continues, "I will not let them take another."

****************************************************

The morning comes too soon for Felix as he shuffles through his files. The physician is engrossed in reading the Crown Prince's records, or what he thinks is less than half of his diagnosis and incomplete notes regarding his condition.

Jeongin had been embarrassed to show Felix the documents knowing how haphazard they are. Felix swallows at the thought of several physicians coming to see the Crown Prince only to run with their tails between their legs at the sight of the royal's glare. He had hoped Seungmin was exaggerating when he had mentioned that the Crown Prince Chan had a temper recently, but he is dreadfully surprised at how his words ring true.

Felix tries to wrack his brain to remember just how the Crown Prince was when they were children but he comes up empty. He had not seen the other often since Chan was next in line to the throne, and even the people working for the palace could not simply approach the Crown Prince without having their purpose garnering suspicion.

The physician can vaguely recall seeing the Crown Prince a few times during his childhood, but had never come into contact with him. Felix remembers feeling a strange sort of pity for the other when he caught the Crown Prince's eye from behind the glass door of his window, as Felix sat up to rest in the palace grounds after a day of errands with his mother.

After finding some semblance of what the Crown Prince is currently suffering from, Felix trudges over to the far end of the hall where Chan's room is located. It is a few doors away from his own, and Felix wonders if anyone even lives in the quarters between judging by how quiet the nights in the palace seem to be.

Felix finds one of the maids on the other side of Chan's door, hands tightly clutching onto the metal as she picks up the tray placed carelessly on the floor. The physician catches sight of the mess, zeroes in on one particular item. "Excuse me, has he not taken his medicine?"

"The Crown Prince is finished with his meal, doctor." The woman replies, voice wavering as she looks down at the tray.

"He has missed out on the pills he has to take. Can you return inside and remind him of it?" Felix asks and the maid's eyes widen slightly at the suggestion.

"The Crown Prince is finished with his meal." She repeats, and Felix bites his cheek in apprehension, thinking of the situation he is now being faced with.

Felix sighs, remembers his conversation with the Queen the night before. _Treat my son as what he is, a patient. The worst mistake all of the physicians have done so far was forget how invincible power can make you seem._ Felix knocks on the door twice before entering, bracing himself for what awaits him on the opposite side of the room.

The first thing Felix notices are the flowers, dried and preserved between sheets of glass on the wall between the room's balcony and window. A distant sound snaps him out of his thoughts as he looks at the Crown Prince in the middle of his bed.

Crown Prince Chan flips a gentle page of his book, moves without looking up to acknowledge his presence. Felix's bow remains unnoticed as the other stays focused on his book, unaware of how the physician's hands are struggling not to shake.

"Your Highness, allow me to introduce myself. My name is-"

"I am done with my meal." The Crown Prince interrupts, voice barely above a whisper.

Felix swallows, "I understand that, your Highness, but I believe you have not yet taken your medicine."

That finally catches Chan's attention, as his eyes quickly lift from his book to the other's standing figure. "Chaeyoung has already taken my plate."

The physician sees it as an opportunity to come closer, placing the dish on the table beside the lower corner of Chan's bed. Two pills sit idly in the middle, and the Crown Prince pushes himself up slowly to the far end of the mattress.

Felix takes note of the grimace on the Crown Prince's face as he moves, notes how he struggles to rest his weight on his left. The physician does not know whether to be impressed or horrified at how well the Crown Prince can mask pain. Chan picks up the plate slowly, tilting his head as he scans the inside.

The physician snaps his fingers in realization, turns back to see the woman, Chaeyoung, standing stock still in the doorway. "My apologies, your Highess. You would need some water to swallow the pills."

Felix nods in gratitude at the woman as he picks up the half-full glass on the metal tray, turns back only to see the Crown Prince flinging the porcelain dish against the wall. The physician gasps and almost drops the glass of water in surprise but he manages, gripping it tightly as Chan looks him directly in the eyes.

The dish is shattered into pieces and Felix could hear Chaeyoung fussing over the mess, but he could not dare to look away from the venomous gaze of the Crown Prince.

Chan speaks again through gritted teeth, "I am not ill. I suggest that you leave."

"But your Highness, you-"

"Do not make me ask again." Chan warns, the threat slipping like water past his lips. He turns away from them, slowly crawling over the bed and reaching out to grab the bottle of bourbon on his nightstand. The Crown Prince pours himself a drink as if nothing had happened, and Felix swallows heavily before nodding and showing himself out of the room.

Felix tries to ignore the nagging voice in his head as two days pass with the same servant coming out of the Crown Prince's room with the pills still left behind. He doesn't know how much longer he can allow Chan to pretend as if he is fine, as if Felix does not hear him coughing incessantly during the especially cold nights in the palace. The physician is admittedly buying time, the memory of the Crown Prince's murderous glare and his brash actions remaining in the forefront of Felix's mind.

Judging by the sound of Chan's coughs and the noticeable shivers he was experiencing when Felix had last seen him, the physician could no longer allow the prince to endanger his health. The bottles of bourbon being carted into his room during the wee hours of the morning isn't helping anything, either.

Felix feels defeated as he sees Chaeyoung come out of Chan's room, a cup of tea and a ceramic teapot in the middle of her tray. He contemplates marching into the prince's room to demand him to drink his medicine, only if he would not be marching to his own death at the same time.

"Is this all he had for lunch?" Felix asks, and Chaeyoung shakes her head. "This is for his afternoon tea, doctor."

Felix nods in understanding, a wide smile taking up his face. "Would you like me to ask Eunji to bring you some as well?"

"No, that would not be necessary, thank you." The physician insists as he places a hand on Chaeyoung's shoulder. "I would like to ask for something else, instead."

A week passes in the palace and Felix is somewhat relieved every time Chaeyoung would come out of the Crown Prince's room with an empty pot. Felix still has some time before his next meeting with the King and Queen to let them know of Chan's state of health, and he figures the other would have calmed down enough for him to ask the Crown Prince to allow him an examination.

Felix is almost sinking into his couch as he scribbles on his journal, mapping out the timeline for treatment as well as the supplies he might need Jeongin's help with getting from the nearby apothecary. The physician looks up as he hears three steady knocks to his door, and he's surprised to see Chaeyoung standing stiffly in the hall.

"The Prince has requested for your presence."

Felix is sure that he is hearing his heart beat in his ears as he walks behind Chaeyoung, exerting all effort to straighten his clothes rumpled from days of work in his own chambers. The maid bows shortly and gestures for the door.

The physician is startled to see Prince Chan looking better than he did when he had first seen the other. Chan's hair is visibly damp and the satin on his skin looks new. The darkness under his eyes remain, but he looks more alive today, resembling more of his image as the kingdom's future.

"The Queen had asked for you, correct?" Chan asks, and Felix catches himself and bows before answering.

"Yes, your Highness."

"Did she tell you to take me for a fool when she asked you to nurse me back to health?"

Felix's eyes widen before he could come back up, breathing in sharply at the prince's words. "The Queen did not imply anything of the sort, your Highness."

"I distinctly remember telling you that I am not ill, doctor." Chan speaks, the calmness in his voice completely contrasting his gaze, "Did I imply otherwise?"

The physician stumbles over his words as the implications of his actions dawn on him, "Forgive me, your Highness but I do not-"

"Should I?" Chan asks, "Forgive you for thinking you could get away with trying to fool me into drinking what you and my mother insist that I need?"

Felix's eyes widen at the confirmation, and he doesn't know whether to make clear of his intentions or to beg for forgiveness. Chan looks as if he is less than keen to hear either. "Where did you learn such deceit, doctor?"

"Your Highness, that was not my intention at all." Felix swallows, tries to catch his breath as he reasons out, "I am simply trying to do my job."

"You act as an enemy of the kingdom." Chan refutes, and even sitting on a plush bed he looks more menacing than anything Felix has ever witnessed before. "You have committed treason by deceiving me."

"This kingdom does not deserve liars."

"I am _not_ a liar." Felix defends, thinks that if he is to walk into his demise he would be doing so defending his last breath. "I am a doctor, your Highness. This kingdom does not deserve to bury another prince, either."

"How dare you?" Chan's eyes harden at his words and Felix has dug a deeper hole for himself but he could not for the life of him try to take his words back, not when he knows they ring true. "How dare you speak of what you do not know?"

Felix opens his mouth but no words come out, and Chan's stare is piercing enough to strike him where he stands. The Crown Prince continues, "Get out."

"I want your bags packed first thing in the morning. If I know of your presence in the castle in the afternoon, I will have you arrested for treason."

Felix nods robotically, bows mindlessly as he hurries out of the room. He gasps as he finally reaches his chambers, knees weakened enough to let him slide down the door. The physician presses a hand down his chest, eyes watering from how fast his heart is beating.

Minho was right, what on earth was he thinking? Felix had promised the Queen that he would help, and his idiotic ways have landed him with his neck next in line for the guillotine. Felix feels several things at once, struggles to make sense of what his life has become ever since Hyunjin had passed. He never would have tried such a stupid stunt when the other was still around, but the Crown Prince had left him with no choice.

Felix clutches onto his locket as his head slumps against the wall, half tempted to laugh at his current predicament. His fingers rubbing against the metal gives him great comfort, but he was a fool to think the four walls of the palace would do the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finding it weird to write a royalty au since I usually write crack and romcom fics. This is a totally new ballpark for me and I hope I'm doing okay hahaha. Anyway, this is the first meeting and there's not a lot of Chanlix going on just yet, but I promise we will get to the sweet stuff soon enough (well, kind of soon). As always, kudos and comments are much appreciated. Thank you so much! <3


End file.
